In 1991, Trisha Yearwood arrived in country stardom with a bang! Her debut single, “She’s in Love With the Boy,” landed on the top spot of the country charts. Since then, she has become one of the genre’s leading ladies, logging in five No. 1s while winning multiple awards from the Academy Of Country Music, the Country Music Association, and the Grammys.
On top of that, Yearwood has lived a rather fascinating and gratifying life that’s seen her do many great things. She has actually done a lot more than country fans realize. So, without further ado, we are giving you some of the facts about Trisha Yearwood that you may not have heard before. Check them out below!
1. She’s a native of Monticello, Georgia.
The country star, whose real name is Patricia Lynn Yearwood, was born on September 19, 1964, to a local banker father, Jack Howard Yearwood, and a schoolteacher mother, Gwendolyn Yearwood.
2. She holds an associate degree in business.
After Trisha Yearwood graduated high school, she studied for two years at Young Harris College, where she earned an associate degree in business.
3. She has been passionate about music since she was a child.
At an early age, Yearwood participated in various music events her school and community held — such as talent shows, church events, and musicals.
So, one semester after joining the University of Georgia, Yearwood dropped out and moved to Nashville, Tennessee. She then enrolled in Belmont College to pursue a music business degree.
4. She sang wherever she could.
After she completed the music business program at Belmont College, Yearwood worked as a tour guide at the Country Music Hall of Fame. She also began performing in different places, including bars and bowling alleys. She also sang background vocals for new artists and recorded demos for songwriters, where she earned between $10 and $30 for each track.
5. She met her husband, country star Garth Brooks when they were still both unknown singers.
Among the artists, Yearwood sang background vocals with was the once-unknown Garth Brooks, who promised to help her secure a recording contract if his career would succeed. Well, Brooks did just that.
As friends, Yearwood and Brooks immediately hit it off. After Yearwood signed a recording contract with MCA Records, she served as the opening act on Brooks’ 1991 nationwide tour. They collaborated in the studio and toured side-by-side. Some of Trisha Yearwood’s songs were even written by Brooks.
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The two then got married on December 10, 2005, in a private ceremony at their Oklahoma home, with their family and friends around.
6. She was actually married before meeting Brooks.
Yearwood was married twice before finally finding forever with the country singer. In 1987, a young Yearwood married music producer Christopher Latham, who she met at Belmont College. However, the marriage didn’t last long – calling it quits four years later.
In 1994, Yearwood married Robert Reynolds, bassist for the country music band The Mavericks. The two got hitched on Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium – a few months after Reynolds proposed to the singer following a performance in front of 7,000 audiences. However, Yearwood and Reynold’s love story came to an ultimate end in 1999 as they filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.
7. She became the “bonus mom” to Brooks’ three daughters.
When Yearwood and Brooks first met, Brooks was also married to his first wife, Sandy Mahl, who was the mother of his three kids: Taylor Mayne, August Anna, and Allie Colleen. Throughout the years, Yearwood became the “third parent” in the girls’ lives. She calls them “a gift that I didn’t know I needed.”
8. She once saved a person’s life.
This is perhaps the most incredible among these facts about Trisha Yearwood. In 1996, Yearwood was flying from Nevada to New York when she heard a man pounding and screaming under her seat. She then asked for the flight attendant’s attention despite feeling crazy saying it.
It turns out a baggage handler was stuck in the cargo under the plane when he was loading in some things.
9. She has her own pet brand.
In 2021, the country superstar launched the Trisha Yearwood Pet Collection, a dog food line of treats, as well as dog beds, bags, collars, and so much more. The pet brand aims to help every rescue pet find a forever home.
Yearwood is actually a proud fur mom of two rescue canines, Emmy and Millie.
10. She has shared hundreds of recipes over the years.
Yearwood has been hosting and dishing out her recipes on her Food Network television show Trisha’s Southern Kitchen since 2012. In addition to that, the country singer has also released four cookbooks.
While she’s most remembered for her music, being one of the most recognizable voices in country music, these facts about Trisha Yearwood also show why she’s one of the most beloved stars out there.